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Want to play Careless Whisper on Alto Sax? Inspired by the Sexy Sax Man Sergio Flores

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Careless Whisper line on alto sax. So if you’re looking for the ‘sexy sax man sheet music’ this is basically it plus you can hear it and play along in pieces.  (It’s also in this book)

Don’t terrorize too many people with this!

First note is C# with the octave key on alto sax. If you want to play it on tenor, that note is an F# at the top of the horn.

Playing it here in a similar way to how Sergio played. In the original version there’s a sixteenth run (D major scale on alto) going into it and the last part in this lesson starts on the low F# instead of leading in with the G.

Have fun! And don’t get arrested!

How to Play Tequila on Tenor Saxophone

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Tequila, composed by Daniel Flores.  Tequila Bottle

First note for tenor sax and soprano sax is D.  First note for alto sax/bari sax is A.

Adding some growl in there seems to work pretty well.  If you play tenor sax, I think this one is a good tune to know.

Also, the ‘9th piece’ happens again between pieces ’10’ and ’11’, thanks to Randy for pointing that out.

Playing this well is about more than knowing the notes, the style of how you play it has a lot to do with your articulation: the duration of each note.  So you can listen to how I play it and the original.  To play it right, you have to play with the style of the music.

How to Play Let It Snow on Saxophone

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Music composed by Jule Styne. Dave Koz and Sergio Flores did a funny video with this song not too long ago!

The notes are in D major concert. So E major for tenor sax and soprano sax and B major for alto sax and bari sax.

Try it out! Let me know how it goes.

” When starting out is about 15 to 20 minutes a day practice enough? “

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Question:

When starting out is about 15 to 20 minutes a day practice enough?

Geoff Beston

Response:

That is a good starting point.

The consistency of ‘a day’ meaning ‘everyday’ is more important than the amount of time.

If you could practice a little more, like 30-45 minutes, that could be better.

But if you cannot, then everyday at 15 minutes each day is better than an hour twice a week.

“Will I be able to play a tenor after learn how to play an Alto sax?”

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Question

I’ve never played sax before but I loved at the first sight when I heard it.

Bought an Alto sax because It was cheaper but, I really wanted a Tenor

Will I be able to play a tenor after learn how to play an Alto sax?
-WEndel

 

Response

Yes, you will. They have many similarities. Fingers go in the same places. You read music in the same way.

The main difference will be with how the embouchure feels. But if anything, it should be easier to transition from alto to tenor than from alto to to tenor. The only way that’s not true is in terms of the air required to play tenor sax (which will be more).

Another thing that changes is the key that you’ll play things in if you want to play songs in the original key.

-Neal

“How to learn all those scales and do I have to learn all those note symbols? “

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Question:

How to learn all those scales and do I have to learn all those note symbols?

I hate musical notation since primary school.

-Blazka

Neal:

Hey Blazka,
Basically music can be played in 12 different keys, each with a different root. And the keys have different variations – major, minor, etc.

To be able to play music you need to be comfortable with, for instance, three flats.

To become comfortable with music that has three flats, playing the notes in a sequence with three flats can help you practice. That sequence is a scale.

How to Play Coltrane’s Sayeeda’s Song Flute, piece

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A melody from John Coltrane that I like quite a bit. Named after his daughter when she was 10.

The first note is repeated three times at the top of the melody. After that the notes are from the G (concert) major scale. So that makes the A major scale for tenor/soprano sax and the E major scale for alto/bari sax.

The first note for alto/bari is a G# but the other notes in this section are actually natural.

Challenge and Frustration While Learning/Playing the Saxophone

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There have been many times as I have learned music that it has been challenging/frustrating/etc.

The year I started, there were other students that had been playing a year already or a few years. Felt like I needed to catch up.

More recently, sometimes when I play a solo over a particular song, it just doesn’t go that well. Especially when compared to times when things sounded better.

Working on altissimo was a lot of work and a lot of sounding bad in the process to get access to a few new notes, one at a time quite often.

Playing low notes on a new (old) tenor took work and sounded like a step backward.

Not too long ago, I got lost in the chord changes of a new song and ended up playing some funny sounding things.

Leave a comment sharing a story about a specific thing that was frustrating for you while learning to play saxophone.

Realize that you don’t master the saxophone in one day or even one year. You can always learn more and advance. Part of what you need to do is enjoy the process of learning. You want to sound good, but you really don’t need to stress out about music. Just dedicate yourself to it if you want results.

“Intrepet F-6 for me please. and A7+9. Is the ninth note in the dominant scale normal and not flat??”

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Question:

“Intrepet F-6 for me please.  and A7+9.  Is the ninth note in the dominant scale normal and not flat??”

-Kevin

Response:
F-6 is an F minor sixth chord. A minor chord with a sixth (major sixth). The minor third makes it minor, it has a sixth on top instead of a seventh.

A7+9 is an A dominant seventh chord with an augmented 9th. That means raise the 9th by a half step.

-Neal

“Can you tell me the easiest way to play the altissimo register? And some of the fingering for it?” (question refers to high notes, not altissimo)

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sax altissimo sky photo

Was asked about saxophone altissimo a little while back. It turns out the person who asked the question was really talking about the higher notes, especially high F at the top of the normal range. If you’re unsure about what altissimo means or might not be absolutely sure, keep reading.

Question:

Can you tell me the easiest way to play the altissimo register? And some of the fingering for it?
-Edward stone

Response:

Which altissimo notes can you play right now?

-Neal

Edward:

Umm at the moment occasionally an F but It’s not stable nod I can’t hold it for long, and I can’t instantly get it.

Neal:

How are D, Eb, and E?

And what do you understand the word altissimo to mean?

Edward:

My D is ok, but Eb and E I can’t get to work, and it stands for ‘very high’ I believe so it’s a 3rd and 4th octave above the high notes on the alto?

Neal:

The boundary between the high notes and altissimo is starting at F# an octave above the top of the staff.

It seems like you are having trouble with the high notes of the saxophone, Eb, E, F, and F#?

Edward:

Oh ok that makes sense so altissimo starts at the F#?
Yeah I have issues with finding the fingering for the E, Eb, F there seem to be different fingering a for each of them and I’m never sure which to choose.

Neal:

Usually there is a main fingering and an alternate fingering.

Have you looked at the fingering chart I put together?

It goes up to F#.

Edward:

Oh right, thank you! Ill take a look, no I hadn’t seen it.